Furi (Switch eShop) Review

The notion of a hard game doesn't stop me from trying it. Sure, I might not gel with a game immediately, but I learn while giving it my best shot. When it was mentioned to me that Furi was like a boss rush, I jumped at the chance to play it. The mixture of action and bullet hell mechanics seemed very engaging, and I loved the look of like it. While it is shorter than I would liked, Furi impressed me far more than it maybe should have.

From the get go, I was impressed with what Furi offered. The narrative style sees you walking from area to area while more is explained to you. It leaves you hanging at plenty of intervals, and wondering what will happen next on the journey. What helps here is that the dialogue presented is good and the framing is rather impressive looking. It has a Japanese flavor to it that I really adored looking at. Next to that, it is a grand breathing moment from what gameplay gives you.

The gameplay is where the game excels into something truly brilliant. Furi comes down to a series of boss encounters with one being more challenging than the last. You will have to use your movements, dodges, slices and shooting mechanics to overcome the harshest enemies ever brought together. That movement feels solid, and the littlest misjudgements are punished fairly. Each boss has multiple waves you need to process, making its tricks more difficult as you complete spots.

Most players will complete Furi in just a few hours. While the ten bosses are challenging, I completed them with a few tries on each at max. I could have eased myself in more with the easier difficulty, but it doesn't unlock the special Speed Run mode. It is here that you fight all ten bosses non-stop without taking the time to unwind. In general, Furi does very little to waste your time, which I do appreciate. That being said, I just wish there was more during that initial playthrough. It would've made my struggle all the much sweeter.

Furi is an excellent little game. With ten thrilling boss fights and excellent movement options, it is just a pure joy to play. The only real problem is that the experience is over before you know it. Sure, you can play it multiple times and get better, but there is some loss of the magic there. That initial thrill made me pumped to take on the next step, and see what journey had in store for me. The feeling when you overcome the odds is wonderful.